This love is alive back from the dead
by murtagh1
Summary: One year after the Ceremonial Duel everything appears to be back to normal. As the anniversary of said duel draws closer, remembering Atem forces Seto to solve the mystery of his own past. The pharaoh's soul seems to be haunting him - but is that really all there is to it? / Prideshipping.


It was a day like every other. Mokuba was at school and Seto was sitting at his desk, going over the plans for the opening of the newest KaibaLand. Everything felt surprisingly normal, and yet…the date for the opening next week let him frown. Why did it seem so familiar? 24 March was neither Mokuba's nor his birthday and there were no other dates worth remembering. Suddenly, a strange feeling of hurt and sadness overcame him and a picture of a desert landscape flashed in front of Seto's eyes.

A shrine, a stone tablet,… slowly he remembered what he had successfully pushed to the back of his mind over the past year. The Ceremonial Battle had taken place on this exact same date last year. Seto let out a short dry laugh. _Ha, such irony! A theme park for the amusement of children was opening on the exact same day that the game it was based upon had taken a life._ He felt a wave of feelings and memories rushing over him, coming back to the surface from where he'd buried them. The Other Yugi, his rival, Atem – he was gone. Seto had decided it would be best to shove every reminder of him to the back of his mind in the moment he had realised he was actually dead and would no longer appear during their duels. It had been a rational decision. Why should he think of someone he would never meet again? Thinking of Atem would only distract him unnecessarily.

And yet. It seemed as if the sheer mention of his name had brought his presence back to Seto's life. He could almost feel Atem's spirit, as if he was in the room with him. A heartbeat that was not his own but ultimately seemed to be connected to him – _and this is why I buried the memory of the only other person that ever meant anything to me._ Hallucinating about Atem being connected to him in his afterlife was definitely not on today's to-do list. Seto glanced at his watch and resumed the work on the KaibaLand plans. Mokuba would want to be updated and probably argue for some balloons or actors dressed up as duel monsters. Making sure everything went according to plan next week and making his little brother happy – those were on his to-do list. Nothing else.

* * *

Seto jumped in his bed. He breathed in heavily and shot an automatic glance at his clock. 4am, still an hour before his alarm would ring. He sighed and let himself fall back into the pillow. What had startled him so? An ancient and yet young face rose in front of his inner eye. Atem. He'd dreamed of his rival for the first time in a year. Seto couldn't remember what had happened in the dream. He only knew that it didn't quite feel like a dream. More like a memory, or even the present. Atem once again seemed to be with him in the room, in his mind. Although the pharaoh had returned to his kingdom in the afterlife, Seto felt a strange connection between them. Almost as though their souls were connected. But that was just like the nonsense talk about him being the reincarnation of an ancient priest. Dwelling in the past didn't help anyone; he needed to focus on the present and the future. There was no place for stupid hallucinations of a long forgotten past taking up his time.

Seto got up - _I might as well -_ and walked downstairs to the kitchen to get a coffee and study the notes he'd made yesterday. Mokuba had indeed insisted on actors playing duel monsters and now it was his task to find said actors and plan their appearance. Anything to make Mokuba happy. Anything to keep these unsettling thoughts away.

* * *

Zorc would be defeated. Atem knew what spell he would have to cast to seal both Zorc and himself away, losing his body and his memories in order to protect his kingdom and his people.

He was running out of time but there was one more person he needed to speak to before he would leave. Atem found Seto in the priest's quarters, going over defence plans for the city. He had been working restlessly throughout the assault, not caring about his own needs or lack of sleep.

"Seto," Atem said in a low voice when he entered the room. The priest lifted his head up from the maps he'd been studying.

"My pharaoh, I haven't been able to find a solution yet, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, I have found one." Seto shot him a surprised gaze and Atem quickly lay out the details of the spell.

"But," Seto hesitated, "you can't leave your people and country, my pharaoh." Atem heard the silent 'and me' Seto hadn't dared to add. The two of them not only shared a deep bond of friendship and comradeship that went back to their childhood days. Deep trust and love had blossomed between them when they had grown older. Although Seto never grew tired of reminding him that their relationship wasn't proper, Atem didn't care. There was no one he'd rather cuddle up next to after a tiresome day at court, no one who gave better counsel, no one he'd rather share a lifetime with. A lifetime that was now bound to end because his realm and people were in danger.

"I'm sorry." He meant it. "But there is no other way." Seto got up from his desk and walked towards him. Atem sighed heavily. He didn't want to do this. He'd wanted to forget everything, hold Seto and run away with his love. "The people and the country will be in good hands, yours," Atem said.

Seto froze. "While I am grateful for this great honour, my pharaoh, I'm not sure I'm worthy of taking your place."

"Please, Seto, drop the formal speech. You know you are the only one who could take my place. You know how to rule – and all my decisions in the last years have been made with your advice. I will miss you. I cannot imagine life without you and yet I have to. Sacrificing one's own happiness seems to be the duty of a pharaoh."

Taking the invitation to switch to a behaviour that was reserved for being in private, Seto closed the gap between them and buried the smaller man in a tight hug. "I cannot lose you, I don't know how to continue without you." His voice was thick with sadness and the looming feeling of loss.

"You will never lose me." Atem placed his hands on both sides of Seto's face so he could pull him down into a kiss. His deep longing and undying love seemed to flow into the kiss, deepening their encounter and making their mouths one. Atem broke from their kiss to voice his silent vow.

"I will always love you and our souls will always be together, I promise." Seto's throat was dry from the contradictory emotions forming in his mind and heart. His mind knew Atem had to go, but his heart didn't want him to. He drew Atem into another long kiss to silence his fears. Their lips locked and with every breath they drew, the contact deepened even further. The desperation of knowing this would be the last time made them want to fully lose themselves inside the other's body and soul.

"I promise," Atem said as he finally had to break away for air. "I will stay with you, here." He laid his hand on Seto's heart. "Please look after the country and the people in my place."

"I will," Seto replied with a deep sadness, now mixed with the usual fierce determination in his eyes. He took Atem's hand in his and laid both their hands onto the pharaoh's heart.

"And I promise I will love you and remember you, forever."

"Thank you."

They shared one last kiss that was meant to last for eternity, filled with the love and passion they'd shared throughout the years - and the promise of staying with each other forever. Atem left and met his fate, the promise he'd made to his lover always on his mind.


End file.
